Apparatus and method for providing reminders

• US 10,535,247 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2019
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bruce W., Mattingly, Todd D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US16/280,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20190180598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 31/00 Predictive alarm systems characterised by extrapolation or other computation using updated historic data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing reminders. A system for providing reminders comprises a communication device configured to receive location information associated with a tracker coupled to an item, a movement pattern database, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to: track a current movement pattern of the tracker based on the location information received via the communication device, select an expected movement pattern from the movement pattern database based on the location information associated with the tracker, compare the current movement pattern of the tracker with the expected movement pattern, and generate an alert based on detecting a deviation from the expected movement pattern.

Claims

1. A system for providing reminders based on tracking vehicle and device movements comprising:

a communication device configured to receive location information associated with a tracker coupled to an item,

a movement pattern database; and

a control circuit coupled to the communication device and the movement pattern database, the control circuit being configured to;

track a current movement pattern of the tracker based on the location information received via the communication device wherein the tracker is associated with a customer and coupled to a container;

select an expected movement pattern from the movement pattern database based on the location information associated with the tracker;

determine a content of the container based on a purchase record associated with the customer;

compare the current movement pattern of the tracker with the expected movement pattern; and

generate an alert based on detecting a deviation from the expected movement pattern of the tracker and the content of the container determined based on the purchase record.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the location information associated with one or more of the tracker is determined based on one or more of a GPS sensor, a geofence sensor, a Wi-Fi transceiver, and mobile network transceiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the expected movement pattern is determined based on movement histories of the tracker tracked over time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the expected movement pattern is determined based on movement patterns associated with a plurality of trackers associated with different users.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the expected movement pattern is selected further based on one or more of a location type, a time of day, a day of the week, and a user demographic.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to determine the content of the container based on a content sensor coupled to the container.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the alert based on whether the content of the container comprises one or more of:

perishable items, refrigerated items, and frozen items.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is generated further based on whether the vehicle is powering a temperature control system for containing a temperature around the item.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

determine the content of the container based on tracking a movement pattern of the tracker over time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

select from a plurality of alert types based on one or more of;

a duration of the deviation, a current temperature, and a current time.

11. A method for providing reminders based on tracking vehicle and device movements comprising:

tracking, by a control circuit, a current movement pattern of a tracker associated with a customer and coupled to a container based on location information received via a communication device;

selecting an expected movement pattern from a movement pattern database based on the location information associated with the tracker;

determine a content of the container based on a purchase record associated with the customer;

comparing the current movement pattern of the tracker with the expected movement pattern; and

generating an alert based on detecting a deviation from the expected movement pattern of the tracker and the content of the container determined based on the purchase record.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the location information associated with the tracker is determined based on one or more of a GPS sensor, a geofence sensor, a Wi-Fi transceiver, and mobile network transceiver.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the expected movement pattern is determined based on movement histories of the tracker tracked over time.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the expected movement pattern is determined based on movement patterns associated with trackers associated with different users.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the expected movement pattern is selected further based on one or more of a location type, a time of day, a day of the week, and a user demographic.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

wherein the content of the container coupled to the tracker further determined based on a content sensor coupled to the container.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating the alert based on whether the content of the container coupled to the tracker comprises one or more of;

perishable items, refrigerated items, and frozen items.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the alert is generated further based on whether the vehicle is powering a temperature control system for containing a temperature around the item.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining the content of the container further based on tracking a movement pattern of the tracker over time.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting from a plurality of alert types based on one or more of;

a duration of the deviation, a current temperature, and a current time.

21. An apparatus for providing reminders based on tracking vehicle and device movements comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium storing a set of computer readable instructions; and

a control circuit configured to execute the set of computer readable instructions which causes the control circuit to;

track a current movement pattern of a tracker based on location information received via a communication device, wherein the tracker is associated with a customer and coupled to a container;

select an expected movement pattern from a movement pattern database based on the location information associated with the tracker;

determine a content of the container based on a purchase record associated with the customer;

compare the current movement pattern of the tracker with the expected movement pattern; and

generate an alert based on detecting a deviation from the expected movement pattern of the tracker and the content of the container determined based on the purchase record.